The Premier League fixtures for the 2016-17 season have been announced and the thrillers start right from the first matchday, the key clashes being Arsenal vs Liverpool and Everton vs Tottenham Hotspurs. Arsenal have a tough opening run as they’ll face defending champions Leicester City right after and Arsene Wenger will look to bolster his squad as soon as possible.
Leicester are also searching for attacking options to replace Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez who are likely to leave this summer. Elsewhere, Roma are looking to bring in quality midfielders to replace the departed Miralem Pjanic.
Here are the transfer news and rumours from June 15th.
Serie A
- AS Roma will offer a new contract to Radja Nainggolan in order to stop him from leaving the club, according to Evening Standard. The Serie A club have already rejected bids from Chelsea worth more than £27million. The paper reports that the Blues are desperate to sign the Belgian and are willing to offer weekly wages ranging from £70,000 to £100,000, prompting the Giallorossi to act. However, talks over a new deal will only take place after Euro 2016
- Juventus have placed a massive €60million price tag on defender Leonardo Bonucci, reports Corriere dello Sport. Chelsea and Manchester City are both interested in luring the centre-back away from Turin, but the Serie A champions are desperate to hold on to their player.
- AS Roma are eyeing Real Madrid's Mateo Kovacic and Newcastle United's Georginio Wijnaldum, say reports. The Giallorossi need to restock the midfield after the departure of Miralem Pjanic. The Real Madrid man is an expensive option at €25m, but the conditions are favourable to pick him up. Competitors Juventus are likely to bow out of the race now that they have Pjanic, and the Los Blancos are reportedly willing to let Kovacic go out on a loan deal with an option to buy.
English Premier League
- Leicester City are looking to sign Norwich City winger Robbie Brady this summer, according to reports in The Times. The Foxes have to prepare for the possibility of a mass exodus as they could find themselves without Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante next season. The Republic of Ireland international has two years left on his current deal with the recently relegated Canaries.
- Pep Guardiola is keen to bring in Victor Valdes to Manchester City next season, reports The Guardian. Valdes endured a miserable time at Old Trafford, making just two first-team appearances, and was eventually shipped out on loan to Standard Liege before being released this summer. The pair won Champions League and La Liga titles together with Barcelona and are known to be friends. Despite turning 34, Valdes would be seen as an ideal back-up for No 1, Joe Hart.
- Everton are preparing to offer Romelu Lukaku a new deal in an attempt to keep him at the club next season, ESPN have reported. The Belgian had earlier expressed his desire to leave the club to play in the Champions League, prompting big name clubs with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus both joining the race to bag the striker’s signature. He has scored 61 goals in 127 games for the Toffees, and new manager Ronald Koeman is desperate to hold on to his star players.
The Merseyside club are also eyeing a move for West Brom’s Saido Berahino should the former Chelsea man decide to go.
La Liga
- Valencia have rejected a bid of £32million for Andre Gomes by Chelsea, according to Sky Sports. Los Che have a sell-on clause with the player’s former club, Benfica, who stand to gain 25% of the transfer fee that the Spanish club receive. They are believed to want to generate £32 million from the midfielder’s sale for themselves, and are therefore holding out for approximately £42million.
- Nolito has refused to talk about his club future to avoid getting “distracted” from Spain’s Euro 2016 campaign. The Celta Vigo winger has been linked with a move back to former club Barcelona and with a possible reunion with manager Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. The 29-year-old dodged questions regarding speculations of his transfer and told a news conference on Tuesday: “I just learned yesterday about my latest 'girlfriend,' but the truth is I am focused on the tournament, on the national team.
"I'm like a boy living a dream and I'm enjoying every second of this unique experience. I'm thrilled. I do not read the press much, although you hear about things. I am relaxed. I have a contract with Celta and must return there after the Euros."
Rest of Europe
- Edinson Cavani has fuelled rumours linking him to a return to the Serie A. The Paris Saint-Germain forward has been linked with a move to Juventus, should Real Madrid re-sign Alvaro Morata from Juve this summer. Speaking to Sky Sports in a post-match interview after Uruguay’s 3-0 triumph against Jamaica, Cavani said: “I miss Italian football, which I think is normal. You don't live football anywhere else the way you live it in Italy. But right now I am in France so I'm thinking about what I have to do there."
The 29-year-old scored 111 goals in Serie A across his spells with Palermo and Napoli before joining the Ligue 1 side PSG, with who he has a contract until 2018.
- Borussia Dortmund attacker Henrikh Mkhitaryan would love to join Man Utd this summer, according to the player's agent.
“Manchester United is a unique opportunity, Micki wants to go there,” said Mino Raiola.
- Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda, 31, is in talks with Chelsea to move to Stamford Bridge this summer, according to reports in the Guardian. The Blues are understood to want the France international, who will be out of contract at the end of this month, to act as back-up to No.1 Thibaut Courtois next season.
